Arandas [images by Nick Winn]
What you’ll notice first at Arandas are the colors. The cuisine from the new restaurant at the Hotel Les Mars in Healdsburg is not only tasty—but eye catching. Every course seems prepared as much for presentation on the plate, as it is for pleasing the palate. The old chestnut, “looks too good to eat,” springs to mind at Arandas. Rest assured, it will be a passing fancy.
Arandas opened in June with an intent to “bring the soul of Mexican cuisine to downtown Healdsburg.” Executive Chef Adrien Nieto has family roots in both Jalisco and Matamoros and his vision is to celebrate the cuisines of those regions, while enhancing each dish with global touches; he walks a line between traditional and fusion, and the result is like few other Mexican restaurants in the North Bay.
Arandas is in the space of the former Chalkboard, what had been a hub for “wine-country casual” just off the Healdsburg Square. But now the 60-seat main dining room has an upscale hacienda vibe—wood floors and earth-toned furniture warmed by wall-hanging lights and an illuminated cabinet showcasing colorful bottles, ornate shakers and other whimsical mantlepieces.
On a warm evening, we sat in the patio where heaters and shade sails shield from the elements and an array of lush plants lends a jungle-y ambiance. Feels like an escape.
We began with a few selections from the starter menu—our introduction to the colorful presentations Nieto’s kitchen revels in. The oysters ($14 for three), for instance, are prepared in-shell under a tangy, mango dulce de tigre (tiger’s milk) marinade—a bright, chartreuse topped with blossoms—served upon a bowl filled with stones and long sprigs of green grass. The papas ($18), meanwhile, finds its small potatoes beneath a perfectly balanced spread of furikake flakes, a mint-hued avocado cream, dark green chives and sun-burnt trout roe. There’s an adherence to flavor, and the color wheel, that’s equally appreciable. Even the fresh guacamole ($16)—often considered a reflection of the quality of a Mexican restaurant—is topped with pink and purple starflowers.
The restaurant takes its name from the western-Mexico city of Arandas, which counts tequila as its primary export. (The spirit itself is named for another nearby city in Jalisco, where the blue agave plant thrives.) Arandas lived up to its name with our cocktail orders: the Double Trouble ($20), a margarita teaming white tequila (straight from third-generation family owned Tequilas El Mexicano in Jalisco) with coconut-washed rum, lime and watermelon juice—a dazzling pink concoction topped with “watermelon foam”—and the Bustamante Paloma ($16), in which a stiff mezcal is softened by grapefruit and spicy tajin on the rim. Tequila is the specialty, but not the whole story—the beer and wine list is long in its mix of Sonoma County and Latin American brands; rum, vodka and whiskeys from the U.S., Scotland, Ireland and Japan are available as well.
Nieto’s flair for global influences shines through in Arandas’s tacos, playfully referred to as “Vitamin Ts” on the menu. The Calabacitas ($24), for example, feature summer squash with Calabrian chiles and pine nuts, lending an Italian twist to the plate. The Cerdo ($32), meanwhile, is filled with radish and green chorizo, which had a smoky, almost-tandoori flavor.
The pescado of the day was halibut ($42), served under a yellow Thai-style mole with a surprising cactus salsa; they like to try new things at Arandas. For dessert—the Aztec chocolate terrine with rum custard ($15), highly recommended.
Most plates we tried were accompanied by their own uniquely paired salsa—lemon and cucumber, white bean and guajillo, pumpkin seed, cilantro-yogurt varieties all crossed our path—another example of the attention paid to each dish. One of the house favorite salsas is Salsa de Alma, named for (and based on) Nieto’s mom’s recipe, from the Matamoros side of the family.
It’s personal touches like these that show through at Arandas. Alma should be proud.
Did You Know?
Arandas grows many of its ingredients at its nearby farm at Chalk Hill Winery; new plantings include tomatillos and specialized peppers.
Arandas
29 North St., Healdsburg
707-473-8030
Arandashealdsburg.com
Lunch, Wednesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Dinner, daily 5 to 9 p.m.
Happy Hour, Monday to Friday, 4 to 6 p.m.
